JUST DREAM

Chapter 3

Any other man—no matter who—could have said anything he liked—it would have been useless. And if it hadn't been you standing by the window, then very likely the summer evening wouldn't have been so beautiful." And she smiled at him. There was a scornful expression about his mouth. "Yes, that's what you say now. Perhaps you even believe it at this moment. But——" There was a knock on the door. The maid entered and said that the housekeeper from Schreyvogel Strasse had come to fetch the doctor, as the Privy Councilor was very low again. Fridolin went out into the hall, and when the woman told him that the Councilor had had a very serious heart attack, he promised to come at once. As he was leaving, Albertina asked: "You're going away?" She said it with as much annoyance as if he were deliberately doing her an injustice. Fridolin replied, with astonishment: "I suppose I've got to." She sighed regretfully. "I hope it won't be very serious," said Fridolin. "Up to now three centigrams of morphine have always pulled him through." The maid brought his fur coat, and absent-mindedly kissing Albertina on her forehead and mouth, as if everything during the last hour had been completely forgotten, he hurried away.